It is important to know the three-dimensional (3D) spatial and temporal parameters of seawater washover of low-profile towed bodies, buoys, and other maritime towed, tethered and free-floating objects. Among other advantages, this knowledge assists in understanding and improving hydrostatic and hydrodynamic performance of a towed body in a wide variety of sea states.
Washover is defined as the condition of occasional (not “frequent,” continuous or permanent) partial or complete inundation and exposure of a top surface of a floating object to a fluid. Typically, at sea washover is caused by wave action, wind action, the dynamics of towing the floating object (body) or a combination of the interaction of these factors. Washover may adversely affect performance of floating objects equipped with electronic devices such as antennas, photovoltaic arrays, instrumentation, radio, and auditory or visual beacons. For a low-profile towed body, washover depth is usually within the range of less than a centimeter (0.4″) to 30 cm (12″). Typically, an inundation has a duration of less than one second.
The ability to capture key parameters of washover as data as well as to visualize washover events in real-time enables designers to improve hydrostatic and hydrodynamic profiles of these objects. Currently, there are no purpose-built devices, systems, or methods that provide this information. Thus, there exists a need for a Washover Electronic Measurement System (WEMS) for real-time acquisition, three-dimensional mapping, and visualization of seawater washover dynamics. The real-time data acquired with WEMS may be used to analyze hydrodynamics, electromagnetic interaction with seawater, and, in conjunction with computer simulations and modeling, to optimize hardware design.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention uses electronic techniques to provide a method and apparatus that facilitates real-time acquisition of pertinent parameters to enable two or three-dimensional mapping and visualization of washover. In a specific application, it provides an empirically based benchmarking process for computational fluid dynamic assessments of turbulent flow around arbitrarily shaped surface towed bodies.